“It’s time my district gets a park,” local commissioner says

LIZELLA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A new park for residents and the animal shelter to share is at the top of one commissioner’s agenda.

Joe Allen, District 6,  wants to build a dog park in Lizella to give residents and dogs a place to relax and have fun.

He said he’s been fighting for this park for a long time.

“I wish it would have been started in 2012 when it was supposed to have been when the SPLOST was passed, but now I’ve got less than this year to get this done,” Allen said.

He wants to use the land next to the animal shelter to build a recreation center. Part of the land would go to the animal shelter to use for their dogs, and the other half to residents to walk their dogs and hang out with family and friends.

Allen said he wants to bring playground equipment, a trail for people to walk on, and even picnic tables for people to sit on.

He said this wouldn’t be an expensive project.

“It’s not gonna cost the millions of dollars that they’ve placed in other districts,” he said.

Hubert Thomas III is a dog owner in Macon who said the new park would be convenient for him and his dog Roxy.

“By opening a park on the other side of town, I believe that will be wonderful for the community,” he said. “That’ll give us all an opportunity to go out and just hang out with each other and we won’t have to spend a lot of money out of pocket.”

But Thomas said he doesn’t agree with separating the shelter’s dogs from residents’ dogs.

“At the end of the day, just like people I mean we wouldn’t want to be separated when we go out and mingle with other folks,” he said. “So I feel as though dogs would want the same thing, if they could speak to us they’d probably tell us.”

Allen said at the end of the day he wants to give animals and people a place to relax and have fun.

“I love animals. I love the people. That’s the reason I ran for office and I’m going to fight as hard as I can. Tomorrow I’ma bring it up to the board. I’m going to explain to them what I want to do,” he said.

Allen has no plans to give up on his park because he said it’s time his district gets something too.

He plans on bringing up the park to the Macon-Bibb County Committee on Tuesday morning.